Car-haul.



A PATENTED NW10, 190s. A. M. AGKLIN.`

GAR BAUL. APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 20, 1903.

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PATENTED Nov.1o,19o3.

A. M. AGKLIN. GAR HAUL.

APPLIUATION FILED MAR. 20. 19G3.

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A. M. Acum CAR HAUL.

APPLIOATION r'Ln-D MAB. 2.o. 190s.

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No. 743,612. j PATENTED NOV. 10, 1903.

A. M. A'GKLIN. l

GAR BAUL. APPLICATION FILED MAB. 20, 1903.

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UNITED STATES Patented OVember 10, 1905i l PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED. M. A cKLIN, on PI'rTsBUnG., PENNSYLVANIA, AssIeNon To IIEYL aPATTERSON, on PI'rrsBURe, PENNSYLVANIA, A ooPAETNERsHIP.

CAR-HAUL.

SPECIFICATION forming partl of Letters Patent No. 743,612, datedNovember 10, 1903.

Application filed March 20,1903. Serial No. 148.665. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED M. ACKLIN, a resident of Pittsburg, in thecounty of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new andusefnllmprovement in Car- Hauls; and I do hereby declare thefollowing tobe a full, clear, and exact description thereof. l

My invention relates to car hanls, and

1o more especially to that class of car-hauls in which an endless chainis employed for carrying the cars in opposite directions.. One of theobjects of the present invention is to provide a car-haul having anendi5A less chain free from hooks or projections and yet adapted toengage with the car and carry it along and at the saine time provide asirnple form of mechanism for moving the car I from a standstill to thespeed of the moving zo chain by a gradually-increased speed and at thesame time provide for the engagement of the car by the proper link ofthe chain without the sudden jolting orjarring of the same.

Another object of ni'y invention is to exn.`

ploy the Weight of the loaded car in its descent to drive the chain-andreturn the empty cars, and so do away with the cost of construction andmaintaining a power plant.

My invention comprises, generally stated,

3o a traveling chain composed of suitable links,

the ends of said links being adapted to engage with a suitableprojection on the car, whereby the car is carried along at the samespeed as the chain, and suitable mechanism for bringing the car intoengagement with the chain, all as fully hereinafter set forth.

My invention further consists in an end-l 5o is an enlarged plan view ofthe apparatus for bringing the car into engagement with the return.

chain. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional View of same. Fig. 5 is anenlarged view of a portion of the sprocket-wheel carrying the cammechanism for advancing the car-Inoving apparatus. Fig. 6 is an enlargeddetail of one of the car-stops. Fig. 7 is a cross-section on the line 7'7, Fig. 3. Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail of the cam-operating dog. Fig.9 is a view of a portion of the car-.haul on the 6o Figs. l0 and 1l arediagrammatic views of the car-haul. Figs. 12 and 13 show modifiedformsof my invention in which the projection on car is bifurcated to fitover the inner links. y

Like numerals indicate like parts in each l of the figures.

In Letters Patent of the United States No. 694,047, granted to .me onthe 25th day of February, 1902, I have illustrated and de- 7o scribed acar-haul, together with mechanism for taking the cars from astate ofrest or slow speed and gradually increasing the speed until it reachesthe speed ofthe chain, when the chain by means of projections thereonengages the carand carries it along. The present invention relates tothis same class of car-hauls, one of' its principal objects being,' asstated above, to dispense with the hooks or projections on the chain.. f

In the diagrammatic view Fig. lO the numeral 2 designates the chainpassing around the sprocket Wheels 3 4, over the guide sprocket-Wheels5, arranged in any suitable manner to give the desired incline to thechain, so that the descending loaded car by engaging with the chain willdrive said chain in the manner fully hereinafterset forth. The numeral 6designates a large sprocketj wheel which forms part of the mechanism 9ofor gradually increasing the speed of the'car to that of the chain, asfully hereinafter set forth.

In Fig. l the numeral 7 represents a track laid at the proper angle withreference to the chain 2, said track being supported on suitable strutsor framework 8. The track 7 is curved, as at 9, to permit the cars topass onto tracky 7 Without interfering with the framework 10, whichsupports the large sprocketron wheel 6. The chain 2 runs between therails of the track 7, and said chain is composed of the outer links 11and the inner links 12, connected by suitable bolts. The outer linksform the spaces 13, within which the projection 14 on the car 15 enters,so that the ends of the inner links are in contact with said projectionin the manner fully hereinafter set forth. The inner links of the chainare beveled at one end, as at 16. The chain 2 is supported within asuitable guide or chaunel17, supported upon the framework 8, so lthatthe chain is always held up in position and sagging of same is avoided.Just beyond the curve 9 of the track 7 is the point where the cars cometo a standstill before they are brought into engagement with the chain,and at this point the stopping incohanism is located, which consists ofthe arms 18, pivoted on suitable shafts 19, arranged in bearings 20. Thearms 1S are provided with the horns or stops 2l, adapted to engage thewheels 22 of the cars as they move onto the track 7. Engaging the arms18 are bolts 24 on the levers 23, said bolts 24 moving in slots 25 insaid arms. The levers 23 have the downwardly-extending shafts 23a,inclosed by the sleeves 23h, connected to the arms 26, the opposite endot' said arms 26 being connected tothe sliding arms 27, moving in guides26 in the frame. Rods 29 connect the arms 26 With treadIe-levers 30,pivoted to the frame at 31, said treadle-levers projecting up inposition to be operated on by the wheels 22 of the cars, so that whenthe front wheels of the car strike the treadle-levers the rods 29 willbe drawn back, acting through the arms 26 and levers 23 to bring thehorns 2l into position to engage the wheels of the car and stop thefurther progress of same.

A slidingr carriage 32 is mounted ou the guide-frame 33, said framehaving the guide- `Ways 34, adapted to receive the inwardlyprojectingflanges 35 on said carriage Journaled within bearings 36 in the carriage32 are the pusher-dogs 37, said pusher-dogs having the shafts 38,extending down through the said bearings. Mounted on the shafts 3S,extending down from the pusher-dogs 37, are the gear-segments 39,adapted to kmesh with each other, and interposed between saidgearsegments and the carriage is the spring 40. Said spring 40, bearingagainstl the segments 39, acts to force the dogs 37 in contact with eachother, and as said dogs advance and come in contact with the projection14 of the carin the manner hereinafter set forth the resistance will actto hold said dogs more closely togetherand prevent their separation,while on the return of said dogs, if there is a car standing in the rearof same, when the dogs strike the projection 14 on the car Von theirrear they will be permitted to open and pass said projection, whereuponsaid spring will immediately act upon said segments to throw the dogsinto contact with each other. The gear-segments 39 cause saidpusher-dogs to work in unison, so that they are always held in properrelation to each other.

Mounted on the shafts 38 of the pusherdogs 37 are the hooks 41, adaptedto engage the shoulders 42 on the sliding arms 27.

Secured to the lug 43 on the carriage 32 is the cable or chain 44, saidchain or cable passing around the diagonally-arranged pulley 45 andthence back and around the guidepulley 46 and. secured to the cam 47 onthe shaft 48. The ,cam 47 is loosely mounted on the shaft 48 and isadapted to be moved by` the dog 49 Aon the perimeter of thesprocketwheel 6. The perimeter of the sprocketwheel 6 is provided with anumber of open.- ings 50, adapted to receive the bolts for connectingthe dog-frame 5l and so that said dog-frame may be adjusted at ditferentpositions, according to the movement which it is desired to give to thecam 47. The dog 49 is arranged within the frame 5l so as to be securelyheld therein, and interposed between said dog and the frame is thebuffer` 52, formed of rubber or other suitable' material, to take up thejar on said dog when it comes in contact with the arm 53, mounted on thecam 47. Mounted on the same shaft 54 is the arm 53, carrying thetripping-arm 55, which is adapted to move in the path of the upright 56and is so tripped thereby as to throw the arm 53 out of engagement withthe dog 49, and thereby release 'the cam 47 lfrom engagement with thesprocket, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 5.

The shaft 48 has mounted thereon the segmental pulley 57, to which thecable 58 is secured, the lower end of said cable carrying a weight 59,said weight being adapted to counterbalance the cam 47.

Attached to the rear end of the carriage 32 is the cable 60, passingover the pulley 6l and having the weight 62 attached thereto. Interposedbetween the carriage 32 and the frame is the buffer 63, formed of rubberor other suitable material and adapted to relieve the shock on thecarriage 32 when it is returned to position in the manner hereinafterset forth. Plates 64 eX tend from both sides of the framework and form aslot 65, the rear portions of the plates 65 being cut away, as at 66, toform a Haring entrance to the slot 65, said slot being adapted toreceive the projection 14 on the car as said car is advanced by thecarriage in the-manner hereinafter set forth.

A dead-plate 67 rests on the guide-frame 34 'just beneath thc slot 65and projecting slightly beyond the same, said dead-plate acting as agage for the projection 14 on the car and acting to prevent saidprojection from coming in contact with the chain until the car-stopshave been' withdrawn.

The operation of my improved car-haul is as follows: The loaded cartraveling 011 the track 7 rounds the curve 9 and is brought to astandstill by the stops 2l, said stops having 'been brought intoposition by the wheels of the car passing over the treadle-levers 30.Meanwhile the chain 2, driven by the cars IIO already descending, istraveling in the direc'- tion of the arrow, Fig. 2, and the largesprocketwheel 6 is rotated, so that when the dog 49 thereon comes incontact-with the arm 53 on the cam 47 said cam will be carried around bysaid sprocket-wheel. As said cam moves around, the cable 44, attachedthereto, is graduallydrawn up around same, the action of said cam beingto gradually increase the speed at which the cable 44 travels as saidcam continues in its movement. This gives a gradually-increased speed tothe cable 44 until the speed of the cable has attained the speed of thetraveling chain 2. Owing to this gradually-increased speed of the cable44 the carriage32,con nected thereto, is started at a coinparatively lowspeed, and as the pusher-dogs 37 on said carriage approach theprojection 14 on the car the rate of speed of travel of the carriage 32gradually increases. Vhen the pusher-dogs 37 advance, they pass beneaththe cover-plate 64 and engage the projection 14 onthe car. As thecarriage 32 advances the hooks 4l come into engagement with theshoulders 42 on the sliding arms 27, whereupon the arms 46 are operatedto throw the horns 2l out of the Way to release the wheels of the car.The Wheels having been released and the pusher-dogs having been broughtinto contact with the projection 14 on the car, upon the furthermovement of the carriage 32 the pusher-dogs act to push the car along,the speed of said car increasing as the cam 47 reaches its highestpoint. The ineline of the chain 2 and the amount of movement to beimparted to the car in order to bring the projection 14 into position tobe engaged by the chain or enter the space between the links at the timethat the car has reached the same speed as the chain is so predeterminedthat when the chain takes hold of the car as both are traveling at thesame rate of speed practically no jolt or jar will be given to the car,but the car will move on without any disturbance. The distance the cartravels before it is engaged by the chain is regulated by the movementof the cam 47, which in turn is controlled by the position of the dog 49upon the sprocket 6, and the position of the dog-frame 5l may be changedaccording to requirement. When the car has been brought into position tobe engaged by the chain, the further movement of the carriage 32 ischecked, and this is done by the releasing of Vthe cam 47, whosetripping-arm 55 comes in contact with theupright 56 and releases saidcam from engagement with the dog 49, whereupon the cam 47 returns to itsnormal position, while at the same time the carriage 32 is returned toits normal position by means of the weight 62 on the cable 60, saidweight acting to take up the slack on the cable 44, so that the returnof thev carriage 32 is by a continuous steady movement, the butter 63acting to relieve any jar on the'carriage. Before the return of thecarriage 32, however, another car has been permitted to run onto thetrack 7, and the Wheels of said car will act to operate thetreadle-levers 30 and bring the stops 2l into position to engage thewheels of the entering car, so that said car will be in position beforethe return of the carriage 32. It will therefore be necessary for thepusher-dogs 37 to open to pass the projection 14 of the car which hasjust come into position, and accordingly said pusher-dogs 37 willseparate to pass the said projection 14, and immediatel y upon havingpassed said projection the spring 40 will act to throw said 'pusher-dogsinto their normal position, the gear-segments acting to cause saidpusher-dogs to Work in unison and prevent one working independently ofthe other. The carriage is then in position to advance and engage thecar, as in the manner before stated. A number of the loaded cars may bedescending in engagement with the' chain, so that the chain is driventhereby and also the sprocket-wheels engaging therewith. The cars aregenerally arranged to leave the chain at or about the point 70, Fig. 10,where they pass by the track 71 to the dumping-point 72. From thedumping-point 72 the cars pass to the kickback7 73, by which they arereturned and switched off onto the return-track 74, Fig. 11. The gradeof the return-track 74 is sufiicient to carry the car into position tobe engaged by the ascending portion of the chain. As the cars are emptyon their return, there is not the necessity of using mechanism forincreasing their speed gradually until lthey have attained the speed ofthe chain before engaging therewith, as the same strain is not broughtupon the chain in taking up with an empty car as in taking up with aloaded car. As a consequence the empty cars are simply allowed to betaken up by the chain in its travel; but the inner links 12 are beveled,so that on the ascent of the chain these bevel ends are up in suchposition that the rigid projection 14 on the empty car will strike andride over the beveled links until the car has been gradually checked tosomething like the speed of the chain, whereupon the projection 14passes down within the space between the links, so as to be engaged bythe square end of the link. In this manner the empty car is brought intoengagement with the chain gradually and instead of taking hold at oncewith the sudden checking-of same.

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By my improved car-haul I am enabled to j sition to engage the chain atthe proper time while at the same time the power to drive the chain isfurnished by the weight of the loaded cars.

In Fig. 13 I have illustrated a modified form of my invention, in whichthe projection -80 on the car is bit'urcated, so as to iit down over theinner links 81 and engage with the square ends of the outer links 82. Inthis case the ends of the outer links are beveled, as at 83, to providefor the riding of the projection over the links in the return of theempty cars.

What I claim is- 1. In a car-haul, the combination with a car having adownwardly-extending rigid projection, of an endless traveling chain,the ends of said links boing adapted to engage said projection.

2. In a car-haul, the combination with a car having adownwardly-extending rigid 'projection, of an endless traveling chainhaving spaces between its links adapted to receive said projection.

3. In a car-haul, the combination with a car having adownwardly-extending rigid projection, of an endless traveling chaincomposed of inner and outer links adapted to receive said projection inthe spaces between the outer links.

4. In a car-haul, the combination with acar having adownwardly-extending rigid projection, of an endless traveling chain,and mechanism adapted to bring said projection into position to engagethe ends ofthe links of said chain.

5. In a car-haul, the combination with a car having adownwardly-extending projection, of an endless traveling chain, and acarriage adapted to engage the car and advance said projection intoposition to engage the ends of vthe links of said chain.

6. In a car-haul, the combination with a car having adownwardly-extending projection, of an endless traveling chain,acarriage adapted to engage the car and advance said projection intoposition to engage the ends of the links of said chain, and mechanismfor gradually increasing the speed of said carriage to the speed of saidchain.

7. In a car-haul, the combination with a car having adownwardly-extending projection, of an endless traveling chain,acarriage adapted to engage the car and advance said projection intoposition to engage the ends of the links of said chain, a sprocket-Wheeloperated by said chain, a cam in the path of said sprocket-wheel, and acable connected to said carriage and to said cam.

8. Ina car-haul, the combination with a car 9. In acar-haul, thecombination with a car j having a downwardly-extending projection, of anendless traveling chain, a carriage adapted to engage the car andadvance said projection into position to'engage the ends of the links ofsaid chain, a sprocket-wheel operated by said chain, a rotary cam, aprojection on said sprocket-wheel adapted to engage said cam, means forreleasing said cam, and a cable connected to said carriage and to saidcam.

10. In a car-haul,the combination with a car having adownwardly-extending projection, of an endless traveling chain, acarriage adapted to engage the car and advance said projection on saidcar into position to engage the ends ofthe links of said chain, asprocketwheel operated by said chain, an adjustable dog on saidsprocket-wheel, a rotary cam, an arm on said ca m engaged by said dog, atripping-lever, and a cable connected to said carriage and to said cam.

11. In a car-haul,the combination with a car having adownwardly-extending projection, otan endless traveling chain, acarriage adapted to engage the car and advance said projection on saidcar into position to engage the ends ofthe links of said chain, asprocketwheel operated by said chain, a rotary cam in the path of saidsprocket-wheel, means for releasing said cam, a cable connected to saidcarriage and to said cam,vand a counterweight for said cam.

12. Inacar-haul,the combination withacar having a downwardly-extendingprojection, of an endless traveling chain,a carriage adapted to engagethe car and advance said projection on said car into position to engagethe ends of the links of said chain, mechanism for moving said carriage,and car-stops adapted to be withdrawn by the movement of said carriage.

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13. In a carhaul,tl1e combination with a car l having adownwardlyextending projection, of an endless traveling chain,a carriageadapted to engage the car and advance said projection on said car intoposition to engage the ends of the links of said chain, mechanism formoving said carriage, and swinging car-stops adapted to be withdrawn bythe movementof the carriage.

14. In a car'haul,the combination with a car having adownwardly-extending projection, of an endless traveling chain,acarriage adapted to engage the car and advance said projection on saidcar into position to engage the ends of the links of said chain,mechanism for moving said carriage, swinging car-stops, sliding arms inthe path of said carriage, and connections between said sliding arms andsaid car-stops.

I5. In acarhaul,the combination with a car having a downwardly-extendingprojection, ofan endless travelingchaima carriage adapted to engage thecar and advance said projection on said car into position to engage theends of the links of said chain, mechanism for moving said carriage,swingingcar-stops, sliding arms, projections on said carriage adapted toengage said arms, and connections between said arms and said car-stops.

16. In a carhanl,the combination with a car having adownwardly-extending projection, of an endless traveling chaima carriageadapted to engage the car and advance said projection on said car intoposition to engage the ends of the links of said chain, mechanism formoving said carriage, swinging car-stops, sliding arms, hooked arms onsaid carriage adapted to engage said sliding arms, and connectionsbetween said arms and said car-stops.

17. In a carhanl,the combination with a car having adownwardly-extending projection, of an endless traveling chain, acarriage, pusher-dogs on said carriage adapted to engage the car andadvance said projection on said car into position to engage the ends ofthe links of said chain, and mechanism for moving said carriage.

18. Inacarhaul,the combination Withacar having a downwardly-extendingprojection, of an endless traveling chain, a carriage, pusher-dogs'pivotally mounted on said .carringe adapted to engage the car andadvance said projection on said car into position to en gage the ends ofthe links of said chain, means for holding said dogs in contact witheach other on the advance of said carriage, and mechanism for movingsaid carriage.

19. Inacar-haul,thecombinationWithacar having a downwardly-extendingprojection,

of an endless traveling chain, a carriage, pusher-dogs pivotally mountedon said carriage adapted to engage the car and advance said projectionon said car into position to engage the ends of the links of said chain,gearsegments meshing With each other and connected to said pusher-dogs,means for holding said dogs in contact with each other on the advance ofsaid carriage, and mechanism for moving said carriage. j

20. In a carhaul,the combination with a car having adownwardly-extending projection,-

of an endless traveling chain, a carriage, pusher-dogs pivotally mountedon said carriage adapted to vengage the car and advance said projectionon said car into position to engage the ends of the links of said chain,gearsegments meshing with each other and connected to said pusher-dogs,a spring interposed between said carriage and said gearsegments, andmechanism for moving said carriage.

21. In a car-hanl,the combination with a car having adownwardly-extending projection, of an endless traveling chain,acarriage adapted to engage the car and advance said projection on saidcar into position to engage the ends of the links of said chain, a guidefor said projection above said carriage, and mechanism for moving saidcarriage.

22. In a car-haul,the combination with a car having adownwardly-extending projection,

of an endless traveling chain ,a carriage adapti ed to engage the carand advance said pro-v jection on said car into position to engage theends of the links of said chain, a slotted guidevvay for said projectionabove said carriage, and mechanism for moving said carriage.

23. In a car-haul,the combination with a car having adownwardly-extending projection, of an endless traveling chain,acarriage adapted to engage the car and advance said projection on saidcar into position to engage the ends of the links of said chain,guide-plates forming a slot for said projection, and mechanism formoving said carriage.

24. In a car-hauhtbe combination with a car having adownwardly-extending projection, of an endless traveling chain,acarriage adapted to engage the car and advance said projection on saidcar into position to engage the ends of the links of said chain, adead-plate over said chain, and mechanism for moving said carriage.

l25. In a carhaul,the combination with acar having adownwardly-extending rigid projection, of an endless chain composed ofinnerand outer links, the ends of the links opposite those adapted toengage said projection being beveled.

In testimony whereof I, the said ALFRED M. AOKLIN, have hereunto set myhand.

ALFRED M. ACKLIN.

Witnesses:

ROBERT C. TOTTEN, G. KREMER.

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